Pros and Cons

I had a discussion with our squadron commander's wife today that got me thinking. I am so incredibly thankful for friends and the support of our military family. When I first met my husband - 5 years ago - I was very skeptical about joining this military lifestyle. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into and didn't know if I would like it. I have to say, the deployments are the only part of this life that I am not particularly fond of. I love everything else - the amenities of the base, a strong bond with military friends who share in the same situation, constant opportunities for things to do, medical coverage, benefits and military discounts, the list goes on..

If it's one thing I've learned so far, in order to get what you want and need out of an experience, you have to make the efforts to seek it out, not wait for it to come to you. If you want to make friends, put yourself out there. Be bold. Take action. If you want to enjoy the support of a group, volunteer to help and make it better. Get involved and take advantage of opportunities and amenities. If you're bored, call a friend. Don't expect that people will know how you're feeling and reach out to you. You should reach out to others, letting them know what's going on with you and how you can better connect with them. These are steps to an empowering confidence in a quest for all that an experience can offer.

So, even though I sit on my couch on Wednesday evening missing my hubby like crazy, I am so thankful for the many upsides to this military adventure and hope to continue discovering more as time goes on.